Rukiga, Uganda – The South Africa-based Ugandan businessman and aspiring Member of Parliament for Rukiga County, Magezi Alex Kanuga, has pledged to address the plight of struggling tea farmers in Rukiga and the wider Kigezi region.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Kanuga made the remarks on Saturday during a joint campaign rally at Nyeikunama Prayer Ground in Muhanga Town Council, Rukiga District, where he accused his political rival of sabotaging a government-initiated tea development project.
In a fiery address, he pointed fingers at his closest competitor, lawyer and fellow MP aspirant Kiconco Patrick Katabazi (popularly known as KP), warning voters against entrusting leadership to individuals with questionable integrity.
Kanuga reminded the crowd that President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni had pledged to establish a tea factory in Rukiga District to boost the local economy.
However, an ambitious tea project aimed at empowering farmers stalled due to alleged mismanagement and corruption, leaving many farmers disillusioned and financially strained, with some resorting to legal action to reclaim their investments.
“The President entrusted certain individuals with a sacred responsibility to facilitate this critical project, but shamefully, they betrayed that trust by diverting funds meant for farmers’ benefit into their own pockets and using them to bribe voters, undermining the very essence of public service,” Kanuga declared.
He vowed to hold those responsible accountable, stating, “I will ensure that those who starved this initiative vomit the money they stole. The tea factory will be established as promised, and the farmers of Rukiga and Kigezi will finally get justice.”
Kanuga’s accusations come at a time when his opponent, Kiconco Patrick Katabazi, is facing allegations of misappropriating Shs 39 billion meant for tea nursery bed operators in the Kigezi region.
The funds, disbursed by the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS), were intended to compensate farmers who had sued the government for failing to procure their tea seedlings.
Pathway Advocates, the law firm led by Katabazi, received the funds in trust to compensate affected farmers.However, a disturbing pattern of non-payment and underpayment has emerged, sparking widespread outrage and accusations of unprofessional conduct.
Scores of farmers have reported discrepancies in compensation payouts, claiming they received partial payments, shortfalls, or no payment at all, despite the law firm receiving funds on their behalf.
The controversy has drawn the attention of the Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities, and State Enterprises (COSASE), which uncovered discrepancies in the law firm’s accountability records.
NAADS confirmed that Pathway Advocates received the money in two installments—Shs 27 billion and Shs 12 billion—but Katabazi allegedly failed to provide a detailed breakdown of payments to individual farmers.
The scandal has sparked outrage among lawmakers, with Hon. Eddie Kwizera accusing Katabazi of embezzlement and demanding accountability for the missing funds, citing the suffering of affected farmers.
Katabazi dismissed the allegations as “pure mudslinging,” claiming they were part of a politically motivated campaign to discredit him. He insisted his firm followed all legal procedures in handling the payments.
As the Rukiga County parliamentary seat race heats up, the tea farmers’ plight has taken center stage, with Kanuga positioning himself as a champion of accountability and Katabazi facing scrutiny over corruption allegations.
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